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OBJECTIVE Historically, craniopharyngioma (CP) was divided into adamantinomatous CP (ACP) and papillary CP (PCP) subtypes based on histopathological features. However, each harbors a unique genetic profile and progressively differing treatment paradigms, leading to their reclassification by the WHO in 2016 as two distinct entities. Descriptive in nature, this large multi-institutional study aimed to establish current differences between the presentation, treatment patterns, and clinical course of these pathologies to serve as a baseline for future studies as new treatment paradigms emerge. METHODS The authors queried the Registry for Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) database, which encompassed patients from 14 participating institutions across the United States between 2000 and 2024. The database was screened for adult patients who underwent initial CP treatment with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of ACP or PCP. Patient demographic characteristics, clinical course, tumor treatment, and outcomes data were collected and compared by CP type. RESULTS The final analysis included 273 ACP and 99 PCP adult patients who underwent initial surgical treatment. ACP patients presented younger on average (mean 48.3 vs 52.8 years, p = 0.034). PCP patients were more likely to present with hypothyroidism (33.3% vs 20.5%, p = 0.010), hyperlipidemia (25.3% vs 15.8%, p = 0.036), fatigue (28.3% vs 17.6%, p = 0.024), temperature intolerance (9.1% vs 1.5%, p < 0.001), and cardiac arrhythmia (6.1% vs 1.1%, p = 0.006). The groups demonstrated similar postsurgical and neuroendocrinological outcomes. Postoperative median (IQR) progression-free survival did not significantly differ between groups (19.0 [7.0–37.0] for ACP vs 5.0 [3.5–7.5] months for PCP, p = 0.972). ACP patients were more likely to receive radiation after surgery (27.8% vs 15.2%, p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS This large multicenter descriptive study aimed to characterize similarities and differences between the clinical courses of molecularly distinct ACP and PCP, which has not previously been described. The findings should serve as a baseline to inform future studies, particularly with the recent introduction of targeted therapy for PCP.

OBJECTIVE Frailty is a known predictor of adverse outcomes in pituitary surgery, yet its impact regarding craniopharyngioma remains unclear. The authors assessed preoperative frailty, measured by the 11-factor modified frailty index (mFI-11), and its association with perioperative morbidity among adult patients undergoing craniopharyngioma surgery. METHODS Using the Registry for Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) database, the authors performed a retrospective cohort study of the records of patients ≥ 18 years of age who underwent craniopharyngioma surgery between June 2007 and November 2024. Patients were stratified into the following categories according to their numeric mFI-11 score: fit (scores 0 and 1), managing well (scores 2 and 3), and mildly frail (scores 4–6). Primary outcomes included hospital length of stay (LOS) and discharge disposition. Secondary outcomes included 90-day readmission, surgical outcomes, and complications. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of hospital LOS and non-home discharge, adjusting for age, surgeon experience, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, complications, and surgical approach. RESULTS Among 278 patients (221 fit, 43 managing well, 14 mildly frail), higher-frailty patients were older (mean age 47.8 ± 16.1 years in fit vs 60.1 ± 12.5 years in managing well vs 67.6 ± 8 years in mildly frail, p < 0.001) and more likely to present urgently (24.2% vs 36.4% vs 78.6%, p = 0.001). Gross-total resection was achieved less frequently in frail patients (44.8% vs 24.3% vs 23.1%, p = 0.030). Overall complication rates were similar; however, increasing frailty was associated with higher rates of postoperative mortality (0% vs 2.8% [1/36] vs 7.7% [1/13], p = 0.018), pneumonia (0.5% [1/195] vs 2.8% [1/36] vs 15.4% [2/13], p = 0.006), and reintubation (2.6% [5/195] vs 2.8% [1/36] vs 30.8% [4/13], p = 0.002). Higher frailty was associated with a stepwise rise in median [IQR] LOS (5 [3–8] days vs 7 [4–12] days vs 13 [6.5–21.8] days, p < 0.001) and remained an independent predictor of extended LOS on multivariable analysis (β = 1.729 per point, p = 0.006). Rates of non-home discharge showed a similar pattern (9.2% vs 30.0% vs 64.3%, p < 0.001), with frailty independently predicting non-home discharge (OR 2.352, 95% CI 1.527–3.822). Unplanned 90-day readmission rates were significantly higher in the mildly frail cohorts (22.5% vs 45.7% vs 53.8%, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS The mFI-11 scores independently predicted perioperative morbidity following craniopharyngioma resection. Incorporating frailty screening into preoperative screening may improve risk stratification, family and patient counseling, and discharge planning.

OBJECTIVE Craniopharyngiomas are benign intracranial tumors that can be difficult to manage operatively and often result in postoperative complications and prolonged recovery. Understanding the factors that influence length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, and readmission can guide perioperative planning and patient counseling. The authors examined the clinical, radiographic, and surgical predictors of extended LOS (eLOS), nonhome discharge, 90-day readmission, and hospitalization ratio (HR) after craniopharyngioma resection using a large, multicenter cohort. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders database, encompassing 469 patients who underwent craniopharyngioma resection at 14 US academic centers from 2011 to 2025. Patients were stratified by 4 outcomes: eLOS (> 75th percentile), discharge to home versus skilled nursing facility/rehabilitation, 90-day hospital readmission, and hospitalization ratio (i.e., integration of initial and readmission LOS). Multivariable logistic regression models identified independent predictors for each outcome among patient and surgical variables. RESULTS An eLOS (> 10 days) was independently associated with preoperative memory loss (OR 3.75, 95% CI 1.95–7.21), gait imbalance (OR 5.90, 95% CI 1.53–22.70), and postoperative complications (OR 4.07, 95% CI 2.34–7.06). The use of a nasoseptal flap was protective against an eLOS (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.28–0.93). Discharge to home was predicted by an endoscopic approach (OR 3.87, 95% CI 1.78–8.44) and postoperative intact thirst (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.05–4.66) and negatively predicted by preoperative diabetes mellitus (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09–0.50), LOS (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.84–0.91), and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.13–0.72). Among 385 patients with follow-up data, a 90-day readmission was independently associated with postoperative complications (OR 5.62, 95% CI 3.12–10.13), preexisting coronary artery disease (OR 4.30, 95% CI 1.46–12.69), and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.76–6.44). A higher HR was associated with diabetes mellitus (unstandardized B 0.059, 95% CI 0.010–0.108, p = 0.02), postoperative complications (unstandardized B 0.054, 95% CI 0.021–0.086, p = 0.001), and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (unstandardized B 0.049, 95% CI 0.006–0.092, p = 0.02). Tumor pathologic subtype and size, prior treatment, extent of resection, and surgeon experience were not directly predictive of outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive and functional status, systemic comorbidities, and postoperative complications, in addition to surgical approach, are important predictors of the early clinical course after craniopharyngioma surgery. Early identification of high-risk patients may help to guide treatment decisions, improve discharge planning, and reduce healthcare utilization.

Background Burnout arises from prolonged, unresolved work-related stress and adversely affects professional performance and overall well-being. Resident doctors and medical students are particularly vulnerable because of the demands of balancing clinical, academic and related responsibilities. Aims This study aimed to assess self-reported burnout and related stressors among UK resident doctors and medical students, and estimate the economic impact of burnout-related absenteeism among resident doctors. Method Self-report questionnaires assessing burnout and related stressors were distributed to UK resident doctors and medical students. A total of 2793 responses were received: 1439 (51.5%) from resident doctors and 1354 (48.5%) from medical students. Economic losses from absenteeism were calculated with a human capital approach. Results Burnout was reported by 70% ( n = 1008) of resident doctors and 65.7% ( n = 889) of medical students. Notably, 56.8% ( n = 573) and 79.3% ( n = 705) of resident doctors and medical students affected by burnout, respectively, were unaware of available support services. Relocation stress (85.1% of residents and 62.6% of students), financial stress (53.9% of residents and 57.8% of students) and poor work–life balance (32.1% of residents and 20.7% of students) were commonly reported. The annual economic burden of absenteeism related to burnout among resident doctors was estimated to reach £251.5 million. Conclusions Burnout among UK resident doctors and medical students may reflect a combination of underlying factors, including financial strain, relocation stress and difficulties with work–life balance. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions that support well-being and address financial and relocation challenges, which may, in turn, help prevent burnout and improve retention within the medical workforce. Reducing burnout and associated stressors may also help lessen its economic impact, allowing resources to be redirected towards patient care.

Introduction Obesity and related cardiometabolic comorbidities, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, are increasingly prevalent among individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These conditions influence disease activity, therapeutic response, surgical outcomes and overall quality of life, yet evidence remains fragmented. The M odulate O besity and relate D metabolic compl I cations F or Y ielding improvements in IBD outcomes (MODIFY-IBD) initiative aims to synthesise evidence and generate consensus recommendations to guide practice and future research in this area. This study describes a protocol for a structured evidence synthesis and Research ANd Development/University of California, Los Angeles (RAND/UCLA) Appropriateness Method (RUAM) consensus process. Methods and analysis We will conduct three systematic reviews and a structured evidence synthesis organised into three domains: (1) the impact of obesity on IBD outcomes, (2) the burden of cardiometabolic complications in IBD and (3) the management of overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities in IBD. A multidisciplinary international panel of gastroenterologists, surgeons, endocrinologists, hepatologists, cardiologists and dietitians will assess each statement using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method. Panellists will rate the appropriateness of each statement (only those that fall within their area of expertise) on a 1–9 scale (1–3=inappropriate, 4–6=uncertain and 7–9=appropriate), with medians rounded up (eg, 6.5=appropriate). Agreement will be assessed using the RAND Disagreement Index (DI<1.0=agreement). Ethics and dissemination This study will not involve direct patient participation, as it is based on evidence synthesis and expert consensus; therefore, formal research ethics committee approval will not be required. Patient representatives will contribute to the consensus process to provide contextual perspectives but no identifiable data will be collected. Findings will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals, presentation at major gastroenterology and IBD conferences and communication with professional societies. A lay summary and patient-friendly infographic will also be developed to facilitate translation of recommendations into clinical practice. PROSPERO registration numbers CRD420251178843: a systematic review of the impact of obesity on inflammatory bowel disease outcomes. CRD420251178799: a systematic review of cardiometabolic complications in inflammatory bowel disease. CRD420251174653: management of overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review.

Abstract Purpose Crisis periods—defined as sustained disruptions to the clinical environment resulting in increased workload, exposure to high-acuity patient care, or limited access to coping resources—can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among residents and fellows (trainees). By examining self-reported pandemic-related PTSD symptoms, associated risk factors, and their consequences, this study aims to identify vulnerable groups and inform institutional strategies to support trainee well-being during and after crisis events. Method A multi-institutional cross-sectional survey was conducted at 3 U.S. academic medical centers between April and May 2022. Measures included the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (range 0 to 5, scores ≥4 indicate probable PTSD), 4-item PROMIS Social Isolation scale (normed T-score range 0 to 100 scale with higher scores indicating greater isolation), items exploring intent to stay at one’s institution, and demographics. Multivariable analysis adjusted for demographics, specialty, and postgraduate year. Results Of 6,057 eligible trainees, 3,185 (53%) participated in the survey, with 3,109 completing the PTSD screening. A total of 190 (6%) trainees screened positive for self-reported PTSD symptoms. Multivariable analysis revealed that female trainees had a higher odds of screening positive for self-reported PTSD symptoms compared to males (odds ratio [OR] 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.04; P = .03). Greater social isolation was independently associated with increased PTSD risk (OR 1.09; 95% CI, 1.07-1.11; P &lt; .001). Additionally, trainees who did not intend to remain at their institution after training were more likely to screen positive for PTSD (OR 1.74; 95% CI, 1.17-2.58; P = .01). Conclusions Female gender, greater social isolation, and reduced intention to remain at one’s institution are independently associated with self-reported PTSD symptoms in trainees. Recognizing these relationships may enable health care leaders to proactively identify trainees at higher risk during crisis periods and to implement targeted, evidence-based interventions that promote well-being and workforce retention.

ABSTRACT Objective Management of vestibular schwannoma (VS) remains controversial. Very small VSs represent a pivotal group: on one hand, they pose the least risk to the patient from the perspective of being small; yet, not recommending treatment may result in missing a critical window for achieving the best outcome. This debate fundamentally hinges on whether treatment improves upon the natural history of the disease. There is an unproven assumption that very small tumors behave similarly to the broader observed population. To address this central question, we conducted a multicenter retrospective review to compare the natural history of tumor growth and hearing for patients with very small VS (1–3 mm) with a referent cohort with larger tumors. Methods All patients diagnosed with sporadic VS 1–3 mm were reviewed at 3 large skull base referral centers and compared with a referent cohort of patients with tumors > 3 mm. Tumor growth‐free survival rates, treatment‐free survival rates, and rates of maintenance of class A, B, or C hearing were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results In total, 123 patients with very small VS and a referent cohort of 326 patients were studied. Seventeen patients with very small VS experienced tumor growth at a median of 3.2 years after diagnosis (IQR 2.6–5.1), demonstrating a median growth rate of 1.0 mm per year (IQR 0.9–1.8). In comparison, 167 of the patients in the referent cohort experienced tumor growth at a median of 1.7 years after diagnosis (IQR 0.8–3.1). Tumor growth‐free survival rates (95% CI, number still at risk) at 5 years after diagnosis for the 2 cohorts were 84% (75–93, 39) and 45% (40–52, 100), respectively ( p < 0.001). Six patients with very small VS underwent treatment after tumor growth at a median of 3.2 years after diagnosis (IQR 3.2–3.8), compared with 138 patients in the referent cohort at a median of 2.2 years after diagnosis (IQR 1.4–3.6). Treatment‐free survival rates (95% CI, number still at risk) at 5 years after diagnosis for the 2 cohorts were 92% (86–98, 55) and 54% (49–61, 125), respectively ( p < 0.001). Among the 105 patients with very small VS and class A, B, or C hearing at diagnosis, 3 progressed to class D. Comparatively, among the 225 patients in the referent cohort with class A, B, or C hearing at diagnosis, 70 progressed to class D at a median of 2.6 years after diagnosis (IQR 1.0–4.8). Rates of maintenance of class A, B, or C hearing (95% CI, number still at risk) at 5 years after diagnosis were 96% (92–100, 28) for patients with very small VS and 65% (57–73, 70) for the referent cohort ( p < 0.001). Conclusions The natural history of tumor growth and hearing for very small VS diverges favorably from the cumulative natural history data and provides a more appropriate benchmark to compare clinical outcomes of upfront surgery or radiosurgery for this population. At 5 years after diagnosis, 96% of very small VS maintained class A, B, or C hearing and only 8% received treatment for growth within this multicenter cohort. Cumulatively, these data substantiate initial wait‐and‐scan management via size threshold surveillance in this population. Level of Evidence 3.

ABSTRACT Considerable advances have been made in our understanding of Bardet–Biedl syndrome (BBS), particularly in its core clinical features and molecular genetics, warranting an update to the existing diagnostic criteria framework. Using a rigorous, evidence‐based, and consensus‐driven process, a multidisciplinary group of international experts and patient‐led organizations developed an updated diagnostic algorithm. This algorithm provides practical, updated guidance for clinicians, including a pathway for accurately incorporating genetic findings into the diagnostic process. We recommend that a clinical diagnosis requires either 4 major criteria or 3 major and 2 minor criteria. Revised major criteria are retinal dystrophy, obesity (or overweight in individuals < 2 years old), congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract or chronic kidney disease, hypogonadism/genital anomalies, neurodevelopmental/neurocognitive manifestations, and postaxial polydactyly. The diagnosis can also be established with a positive genetic testing result in patients exhibiting ≥ 1 major criterion, provided that genetic findings should be interpreted in the context of the patient's clinical presentation, age, family history, and overlap with related ciliopathies. These consensus criteria offer a simple algorithm incorporating updated definitions for major and minor criteria and genetic testing to support a timely and accurate diagnosis of patients with BBS, inform genetic counseling, and potentially facilitate earlier access to treatment. Trial Registration: CRIBBS Registry; ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02329210

PURPOSE Integrating external control data into clinical trial designs and analyses has the potential to accelerate drug development processes. We reanalyzed the three experimental arms of the Individual Screening Trial of Innovative Glioblastoma Therapy (INSIGhT), a randomized phase II platform trial in newly diagnosed O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase-unmethylated glioblastoma (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02977780 ). To evaluate the validity of using external data sets, we compared treatment effect estimates based on internal INSIGhT control data and matched external control data. METHODS The three experimental arms of INSIGhT (abemaciclib [n = 72], neratinib [n = 80], and CC-115 [n = 12]) did not improve survival compared with internal controls (standard chemoradiation [n = 70]). We derived external control patient-level data from multiple real-world and clinical trial data sets. We applied propensity score matching and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate treatment effects with external controls. Additionally, using this glioblastoma (GBM) data collection, we specified simulation scenarios to evaluate trial designs that integrate external controls. RESULTS After matching to external controls, no survival benefit was observed for patients receiving abemaciclib (hazard ratio [HR], 1.00 [95% CI, 0.75 to 1.34]), neratinib (HR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.70 to 1.24]), or CC-115 (HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.41 to 1.88]). Simulations, together with the INSIGhT data and a collection of GBM data sets, allowed us to examine efficiencies and risks of clinical trial designs that leverage external control data. CONCLUSION The use of carefully matched external controls, to replace or augment the internal controls of INSIGhT, produced treatment effect estimates that were similar to previously published analyses. Single-arm trial designs and hybrid randomized designs incorporating propensity score–matched external control data evaluated treatment effects in the early-phase testing of experimental therapies in newly diagnosed GBM. The validity of this approach and risks of bias depended on the availability of comprehensive and accurate data on all potential confounders, in the absence of unmeasured confounding.